A Moment With: Piyush Suri, Founder and Creative Director of Handmade in Britain

Handmade in Britain was established over a decade ago by engineer-turned-designer Piyush Suri, an advocate of everything handmade. After working for a few years in the industry, he single-handedly built his initiative to support and promote British designer-makers.

Throughout its existence Handmade in Britain has provided a platform to support and promote design and craft talent through fairs, events and pop-ups. Workshops and business mentoring are also key to Handmade in Britain’s mission to support the designer-maker communities.
 
In addition to Handmade in Britain, he also runs Handmade at Kew, Handmade Oxford and Handmade Edinburgh. Now in its 12th year, we caught up with Piyush to gain some insights into what inspired him to start Handmade in Britain and to learn about his plans for the future.
 
What inspired you to set up Handmade in Britain?
I am a textile designer – the Chelsea Craft Show was hard to get into and was more high-end art. I wanted to create a space where handmade products could be commercial.
 
How has the event evolved over the years?
The brand now has a level of trust and attracts better quality designers.
 
What are your goals for future events?
I want to attract a younger crowd, which is why I’m looking at working with graduates from local colleges.
 
What trends are you seeing evolve?
The UK jewellery industry is booming and we’re also seeing organic textile trends with designers seeking inspiration from plants and nature. There’s a mixing of disciplines and an eco-conscious feel across the designers.
 
What’s your current passion project?
I love to spend time developing my own textiles interior brand, Penates, which is based in Provence, France.
 
Any travel recommendations for our readers?
My favourite destinations are Ubud, Bali and Oaxaca, Mexico and Copenhagen, Denmark (to eat at Noma restaurant)
 
Elinor Seath

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